COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Cuylle netted two goals in the final period, leading the New York Rangers to a comeback victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets with a score of 4-3 on Saturday evening.
Mika Zibanejad contributed with a goal and an assist, while Arthur Kaliyev added another score. Vincent Trocheck recorded two assists, which aided the Rangers in securing their third victory in four games. Jonathan Quick was solid in goal, turning away 22 shots.
For the Blue Jackets, Kent Johnson, Justin Danforth, and James van Riemsdyk found the back of the net, but it wasn’t enough as Columbus suffered its fourth consecutive defeat, including back-to-back losses at home. Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves but the team remained just a point behind Detroit for the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Cuylle opened the third period’s scoring, leveling the match just 1:57 in, and then he clinched the game with what turned out to be the decisive goal with only 1:39 left on the clock.
### Takeaways
**Rangers:** The New York squad initially appeared ready to seize control after scoring just 1:56 into the game through Kaliyev’s goal. However, they found themselves trailing twice before managing a comeback in the third period.
**Blue Jackets:** Columbus began the game sluggishly, falling behind quickly. Coach Dean Evason’s motivational push during the first media timeout seemed to reinvigorate the squad, as they grabbed the lead during both the first and second periods, but ultimately could not hold onto their advantage.
### Key Moment
In a pivotal moment, Cuylle seized a loose puck following a clearing attempt by the Blue Jackets. He maneuvered from the right to the left side, firing the puck through a crowded lane and past Merzlikins to bring the game to a tie early in the third period.
### Key Stat
Zach Werenski helped extend his impressive home point streak to 21 games with his assist on Johnson’s goal, marking the fifth-longest such streak for a defenseman in NHL history. It is also the third-longest streak for an American-born player. Werenski is topping off the Blue Jackets with a new single-season record of points by a defenseman (59), and he is now just four assists shy of Rick Nash’s all-time franchise record (258).
### Up Next
Both teams will take a break for the 4 Nations Face-off. The Rangers are scheduled to visit Buffalo on February 22, while the Blue Jackets will host Chicago.
